Twinkle, Twinkle

Handley has become quite the song singer.  She walks around all day singing and loves to sing for Harper too.  If Harper is fussing or upset, Handley breaks out into song and makes her smile every time.  I've tried to get her on video singing , but she normally stops and doesn't want to cooperate.  Today I finally got Twinkle Twinkle in video.  I just love how she pronounces all of the words.    

And this cute little one has also become Miss Independent with a capital I!  Everything is, "I want to do it" or " I'll do it all by mineself!"  She can't stand for me to help her with anything and if, heaven forbid, if I do something for her we usually end up re-doing it (and taking 3 times as long).  Yesterday I was trying to get us out the door to get her to school on time.  I tried helping her put her boots on and she just about lost it.  She had to take her boots off and start from the beginning, all by herself.  Same thing with putting on her PJ's last night.  I forgot about her new found independence and zipped them up for her.  Big Mistake!  She threw a fit, reminded me that SHE wanted to do it, had to up-zip, take them off, and zip them all by herself.  Don't get me wrong, I like that she is able to do these things...dress herself, put her shoes on, open doors, get her own snack, etc., but it has also been a test of my patients.    

Harper - 7 Months

I've said it a million times, but I'll say it again - I can't believe Harper is 7 months old already!!!  Time flies when you are having fun and boy are we ever.  Harper is such a sweetie and has developed such a great personality.  She and her big sister are bonding so sweetly and both light up when they see each other.  When Handley was this age I remember thinking she was so big, but now Harper still seems like such a baby when I have her to to compare to Handley.  

At 7 months old she: 

• has started getting onto her hands and knees and is rocking back and forth.  (She wants to crawl - I give her 2 weeks!) 
• takes two naps a day (a long morning nap and a shorter afternoon nap)
• loves going to bed early
• is dealing with separation anxiety and is happiest when I'm very close by
• eats 3 meals a day and is already starting to prefer feeding herself to being spoon fed
• is a pro at eating puffs and cheerios and had her first "real" finger food yesterday  - watermelon - and loved it!
• can drink water from her sippy cup
• still only has 2 teeth although I think she is getting more very soon
• definitely shows her likes and dislikes
• loves being held
• has pretty much weened herself of the paci and sucks her thumb when she is sleepy or upset
• has fun playing with and chewing on plastic hangers
• moves her arms up and down when she is happy or excited

Concentrating to get the watermelon

All smiles after she tasted the watermelon

Looking at this picture you would think she was crawling...won't be long!

The rest of trip...

...in Orlando was spent visiting with some great friends of ours and with Robby's grandmother.  

As soon as we arrived in Orlando, Robby went off to work while the girls and I went to lunch and then off to see Grandma.  It has been a year since she'd seen Handley and she had never met Harper.  Both girls had fun at their house and at the nearby playground we went to.  Robby and Aunt Sharon joined us at dinner time and we had a great mini birthday celebration

 complete with cake and candles (which Handley helped me to blow out).  

Thursday while Robby was working we met up with my great friend Kathy and her daughter Marlee.  We also saw some of the girls I used to teach with and their kids at an indoor play place which was fun.  We went back to Kathy's house after lunch and the girls spent the rest of the day playing together.  Again, Robby joined us for dinner before we head back to the hotel to pack up and get ready for an early flight the next morning. 

Even though our trip was quick, it was so much fun and we packed a lot into 3 days! 

DISNEY WORLD

On Wednesday, I celebrated my 29th birthday.  I wanted to take advantage of Disney's "get in free on your birthday" special and go with both the girls.  Robby was going to be in Orlando on business, so we tagged along with him and made a quick family vacation of it.  What made the trip even better was that Robby surprised me with a brand new fancy camera for my birthday and I got to take great pictures of our time there.  

We were only at Disney World for 1 day, but it was such a special day.  I loved seeing the magical experience through Handley's eyes.  She'd been talking about our trip for weeks and was so excited to be there. 

In front of Cinderella's castle

Inside the castle

She was quite the dare-devil and loved all the rides.  This didn't surprise me one bit.  As soon as we'd get off one ride, she'd be asking to ride it again or move on to the next one.  We got lucky with the time of year we were there because it wasn't a busy time and the lines were not bad at all.  The longest we waited was about 30 mins. for the dumbo ride, but everything else was between 5-10 mins., if that.  

Loving the carousel 

Harper thinking it is really fun too!

Daddy and Handley on the Dumbo ride

This picture is a little blurry (still figuring out my camera) but I just love it because it shows how excited she was.  Harper was asleep so I stayed with her while Robby and Handley rode the spinning tea-cup ride.  They were the first in line and as soon as the gate opened she went running to pick out her tea-cup. 

Waiting for the ride to start

Driving the racecars

Her first roller coaster ride!  I wasn't sure she would be tall enough for this ride.  Although it was a kid roller coaster, it seemed kind of scary.  However, she was tall enough and loved it! 

Handley was excited to see all of the characters.  When I went to Disney as a child (over 20 years ago) the characters would walk around the park and you could meet them that way.  Now, you wait in line at a specific location for the different characters.  I'd heard stories of having to wait forever, but our lines were so quick...less that 10 mins for the princesses!  Handley was so funny because as she went up to each princess she would tell them, "you are on my dress" and would point them out.  

Hugging Sleeping Beauty

Smiling with Belle 

Posing with Cinderella

So happy to see Mickey and Minnie

All of us

We had such a wonderful time and I can't wait to go back!  

Trick-or-treat

Handley had been talking about going trick-or-treating and fill her bag with candy all week.  She waited all day and when the time finally arrived she was super excited.  It was a little rainy and really cold, but she didn't care. Every time she would go to a house we'd tell her, "remember what to say" and as soon as they would open the door she'd exclaim, "thank you!" before saying trick-or-treat.  Then she would be so happy about the candy she just got and say, "let's go to the next one."  

Handley and Avery trying to stay dry

She wasn't shy at all about taking big handfuls of candy

Stefanie and Trey even came over to visit and see her all dressed up. 

Happy Halloween!

The farmer and the chicken

The girls were lucky enough to have both sets of grandparents see them all dressed up!

Today was our neighborhood's Halloween parade.  We all kept checking the weather and hoping for clear skies, but in the end we had to move the parade and festivities indoors.  The kids paraded around the porch of the clubhouse and didn't know any different.  There were plenty of cookies, sweets, and fun to keep us all entertained.  

Handley and Avery parading on the porch

Handley with some of her friends

Pre-school party

Yesterday was Handley's fall pre-school party.  I was excited to plan and organize this party for her class.  The party included lunch, cookie decorating, pin the nose in the jack-o-lantern, and hot potato with a little pumpkin.  The party was a success and I think all the kids had a lot of fun.  

Handley wore a fairy costume for her party

The class room decorations before the kids came into the room

Hard at work decorating her cookie

Pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern